Embedded Evidence Labs

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In this image:IPA co-hosts Ghana's Evidence Day with the Ministry of Education. © 2018 IPA

About the Embedded Labs

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    Why Labs?

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    Embedded labs tackle three major challenges to the regular, institutionalized use of evidence in policymaking:

    (1) A lack of accessible, contextually grounded evidence to support decisions. Government officials face many demands on their time, and typically are not able to identify, review, and analyze multiple studies to extract insights relevant to their contexts. Without this, the application of even well-documented evidence is challenging in the real world.

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    (2) Inadequate data and analysis systems. Existing government data could be used to answer policy questions, but this information is often siloed, outdated, or incomplete. As a result, existing resources are often underutilized. With targeted investments, governments can improve existing data—fostering a culture of evidence use.

    (3) Unreached potential to develop, adapt and improve programs based on evidence. IPA’s partners are interested in implementing and scaling proven interventions, but adapting interventions to different contexts requires support from experts, ongoing monitoring, and, sometimes, further evaluation. IPA’s labs provide a platform for this support.

    Labs' Activities

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    Each lab works on a variety of activities to equip IPA’s partners to regularly use evidence to improve their decision-making, policies, and programs. These include:

    • Administrative data mapping and strengthening
    • Developing a policy-oriented research agenda and facilitating the development of research projects in line with the agenda
    • Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) plans for key programs
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    • Evidence sharing and supporting partners to use evidence to inform public policy
    • Evaluations using administrative data (sometimes supplemented by independent data collection)
    • Strengthening the link between the generation and use of evidence
    • Technical assistance for scaling up effective programs

    Embedded lab teams develop a “learning cycle” for their host ministry that develops into a routine, supporting institutionalization. A typical cycle features problem identification, incorporating existing evidence, designing solutions, piloting, evaluating, analyzing, and then sharing and acting on results.

    Labs' Impact

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    Embedded Evidence Labs support IPA's strategic pillar of creating a culture of evidence-based decision-making. Labs enable policy impact by:

    • Institutionalizing the sharing and application of evidence to inform decisions in government agencies
    • Building skills and systems to create and use rigorous evidence
    • Directly supporting the scale-up of evidence-informed policies and programs, including through effective monitoring at scale

    Contact Us

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    To learn more about Embedded Evidence Labs, keep reading for current examples or reach out to us for more information.

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Current Embedded Labs

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MineduLAB Peru

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MineduLAB is an innovation lab for education policy housed within the government of Peru. The lab pilots and evaluates the effectiveness of low-cost education innovations. Its ultimate goal is to equip the Ministry of Education to use evidence to improve education outcomes throughout the country. MineduLAB has tested nine interventions and is currently working on five more evaluations.

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Procuralab Colombia

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Procuralab is an embedded innovation lab created in partnership with the Office of the Attorney General in Colombia to support the use of rigorous data and evidence in making policy decisions. Currently, the lab supports the design, implementation, and experimental evaluation of innovative solutions to fight corruption and prevent human rights violations. The lab also helped improve the design of a tool to collect and monitor data on the impacts of COVID-19.

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Ghana's Embedded Lab

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Ghana’s Embedded Lab was IPA’s first attempt to replicate the model we developed and incubated with Peru’s Ministry of Education. The lab adapts to the way Ghana’s Ministry of Education works primarily through a set of influential sub-agencies and their existing patterns of evidence and data use. The lab supports the Ministry of Education in developing, implementing, and monitoring evidence-based programs to strengthen their delivery.

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Rwanda’s Embedded Lab

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Rwanda’s Embedded Lab was cofounded by IPA, the Georgetown University Initiative on Innovation, Development and Evaluation (gui2de), and the Rwanda Education Board (REB). Its main objective is to support the centralization of teacher recruitment and management. The lab also supports the national comprehensive assessment, helping Rwanda to become the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to have a high-quality measure of teachers’ added value in the classroom. At the request of REB's Department of ICT in Education, the lab is also supporting a rapid assessment of ICT capacity among teachers and schools.

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Zambia's Embedded Lab

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The Embedded Lab in Zambia was established in partnership with the Ministry of General Education (MoGE) in September 2019. The lab is currently defining a research agenda to perform rigorous policy evaluations, establish a monitoring and evaluation team, and contribute to capacity building within the MoGE. In addition, the lab is helping to identify ways to lower school fees and supporting the MoGE to develop a research agenda for the Joint Sector Review (JSR) meeting. 

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This event is held with partners and education experts to review the performance of the ministry and annual planning. In 2020, IPA supported the Ministry in planning the JSR meeting, developing research tools, training staff, analyzing data, and writing reports.

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